


My Favorite Fish

by cipherbme



Category: Gravity Falls
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), Fluff, M/M, Siren Bill Cipher, Sirens, idk man its been so long since ive done this that idk how to tag things anymore
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-13
Updated: 2020-08-13
Packaged: 2021-03-06 01:34:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,065
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25885162
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cipherbme/pseuds/cipherbme
Summary: Dipper helps with supervising the siren Ford is studying and starts to find the other is frequently a subject within his dreams.
Relationships: Bill Cipher/Dipper Pines
Comments: 13
Kudos: 118





	My Favorite Fish

**Author's Note:**

> Betcha thought you say the last of me huh? aha- well here's this, I'm feeling a bit shy because its been so long since I last posted on here but I hope you enjoy!

Dipper hated to admit it, but the other had beautiful eyes. Like nothing he had ever seen before. They were gold with a pupil like a cats and they pierced right though Dipper like he was prey, which he was.

His grunkles had left him in charge of watching the mystery shack while they finally went on their dream boating adventure. Mabel already had the summer booked which meant Dipper was to be left on his own. Something he didn’t mind and honestly was excited by. He planned to finally write that book he had been dreaming of for so long.

However barely a week into his alone time he heard a car in the drive and rushed out to find his grunkles had returned early…. With what Dipper at first through was just a merman but quickly discovered was a siren.

Just like that Dipper’s summer transformed. Stan wanted no part of this and would spend his days running the shack or watching soaps. Meanwhile Ford would study the creature throughout the day before having Dipper come down around 8 to watch it throughout the night.

There had been a small amount of time when the creature was in a salty bathtub waiting for his new… home. His green tail hanging out and over the edge and his head bobbing back so much that Dipper was scared his head might snap off. Therefore he would occasionally lift the blonde’s head, propping him up and dumping a bucket of water on him. Ford didn’t seem to care too much about the comfort of the creature. He got the bigger tank done surprisingly quickly, less than a week. He rearranged half the basement in case of any spillage, so the thing wouldn’t electrocute and kill everyone if there was a leak. Headphones became mandatory to avoid anyone accidently overhearing the creatures song.

As soon as the siren moved to the new tank Dipper stopped seeing him as fragile and innocent. It was here in the big tank that he first opened his eyes and ripped the head off a fish with his sharp teeth.

Dipper doesn’t remember when they started playing the game, maybe it was even the first night. Whenever it was the other had been sat with his eyes shut and Dipper decided now would be a good time to get a closer at him.

He was strangely beautiful and with his eyes closed like this he looked almost human like. Maybe it was intentional, his beauty. Dipper felt like everything about the other was alluring, he felt pulled in like a magnet even without hearing his song.

Dipper’s heart stopped when the others eyes opened. He felt like it would be wise to back away from the glass but he couldn’t bring himself to, he just stood and stared. The longer they stood the more the other smiled and when Dipper eventually blinked he found the other was laughing.

He swam forward and placed his hand on the tank. Dipper interpreted this as _hello_ so he followed suit. The siren pointed to himself and mouthed _Bill_ before pointing at the other waiting for his name.

He almost paused his music to speak and hear the other better when he remembered that was the whole point of the music. Slowly Dipper gave his name.

“Dip-per” Bill mouths back. Dipper nods but instantly regrets telling the other his name. Bill smiles with his teeth before swimming back to where he was and closing his eyes yet again.

For a while that was it. Dipper would come down at night, sit and write and every once and a while when their eyes would meet they would play their game. The other would always win.

After a week of watching him Dipper started to see Bill in his dreams. It was subtle at first. Bill’s face would be one of the strangers on the bus or a clerk at the store. This time was different. This time Dipper was drowning.

His limbs were desperately failing about reaching up towards the light of the surface. He was certain he was going to die, his lungs ready to give in any second but just as he was ready to give up and arm wrapped around him. Next thing he knew he had been pushed out of the ocean and laid onto a rock. He recovers from his coughing fit to look over at his rescuer only to find that it was Bill. The sun was rising, painting the sky with golds and pinks. Dipper was briefly startled by not only the beauty of the scene but in how Bill eyes almost looked gentle in this light. How compared to the harsh fluorescents of the basement, the sun made the other look soft and kind. He sits with his mouth open struggling to find the words to thank him but he doesn’t have to. Bill puts his finger on Dipper’s lips to shush him before sliding his hand to hold his face and leaning in for a kiss. His lips are soft and gentle as if he is afraid that if he kissed the human too hard he would break. Dipper doesn’t get a chance to react.

He wakes up breathless and sweaty.

That night Dipper can’t focus much on his writing but he doesn’t want to focus much on the other either, in hopes of avoiding more dreams like yesterdays. Instead he spends the night reading and acknowledging the other as little as possible. Dipper did not participate in any staring contests that night.

When Ford returns in the morning Dipper heads straight to bed. This time he dreamed he was the one in the tank and Bill is the one who ignores him.

The dream felt like it went on for hours.

The next night the first thing Dipper does after Ford leaves is walk right up to the tank, ensuring that his music is extra loud. _‘why are you in my head? Can you read my mind? Or are we just spending too much time together?’_

Bill came up to the glass looking amused. He copied Dipper, furring his brows and crossing his arms which made Dipper stop. They then had three staring contests back to back Bill winning each time. “Dip-per” Bill mouthed before indicating to come swim using his arms.

Dipper shook his head and declined before reading for the rest of the night.

When he fell asleep he dreamt a shark was in the tank with Bill. They were playing chess. The shark would win and Bill would laugh.

Dipper spent an hour practicing staring in the mirror. He improved his time by 30 seconds.

He couldn’t be sure but he thinks Bill noticed the improvement. He gave Dipper a smile that wasn’t sharp. Despite not winning it still felt like a victory.

In his dream Dipper was stood in a city street at night in the pouring rain. It had rained so much that the streets had flooded and there was water up to his knees. Bill stood at the end of the empty street in a black suit with an umbrella. Bill walked over to him so they were both in the umbrella’s shelter. They had a staring contest. Dipper won. Bill laughed. He received a kiss as a reward.

Once he and the siren were alone the next night he begins another staring contest. Dipper lost. ‘ _Dreams are dreams, he has nothing to do with them.’_ He tells himself but honestly didn’t fully believe it.

Tonight Ford had warned that the siren hadn’t eaten today and would need likely to be fed at some point in the night. Not something Dipper was specifically thrilled about doing without the company of his grunkle.

It was a relatively quiet night, Dipper put on a mellow album and simply watched the other. _‘To make sure he didn’t miss if he asked for food.’_ Is what he told himself. Ford had given Bill a rubix cube which he was fidgeting away at. Dipper had known how to solve one at some point in his life but was uncertain if that was a skill that skill held up now.

Once again Dipper was faced with what felt like a harmless Bill. Was it bad to think he looked cute when he was concentrating? He wondered what the other dreams about… better yet he wonders when he got so smitten.

_‘Oh to be a drunken sailor… would it really be that bad a fate to die in Bill’s arms if the other options were shipwreck or scurvy?’_ He didn’t think it would be.

Bill seems tried of the puzzle, he rolls his eyes and tosses it behind him with a bubbly huff. He looks around seeming startled by Dipper’s presence. The siren nods at him, Dipper returns. A staring contest begins, Bill wins. This seemed to have cured his frustration over the cube. He looks over at where the food is kept.

Dipper turns on a boppier loud track in preparation of opening the top of the tank. He grabs a food bucket full of fish and kelp and carefully climbs the ladder. His heart bangs against his chest so hard it make it hard to stay steady as he climbed… the sweaty palms didn’t help.

He opens the hatch and Bill pops his head and shoulders out of the water. He didn’t do this the one other time Dipper fed him. It was more of a toss the bucket and let him feed himself. They quickly found themselves in a staring contest which apparently Bill was not very good at above water as he lost almost instantly. He expected Bill to be upset but he looked oddly proud of Dipper, _At least he’s not a sore loser_.

Bill points at him and then at the water _Come swim?_ Dipper interpreted.

He shakes his head no and instead reminds him why he’s here by pointing to the bucket.

Hesitant, Bill shrugs and nods.

Dipper reaches in and grabs some kelp, holding it out for the other. Bill looks up between the hand and at Dipper. Dipper who was coming to realise outstretching his hand to the very strong siren who wants him to swim with him was probably a very very bad idea. Bill was likely thinking how foolish that was as well but accepted the kelp with no tricks. His hand brushed across Dipper’s for the smallest second. Dipper’s heart did a summersault. He dumps the rest of the fish directly into the water, closes the hatch and climbs down the later. _‘Maybe I should ask Ford for a day off.’_

Dipper dreamed he accepted the others swim invitation. This time the outstretched hand was for a dance. They spun around the tank together hand and hand. Ford was outside watching, he did not look happy.

“Do you ever dream of Bill?” Dipper asked Ford from the other room of the basement before his shift.

Ford laughed putting some papers away “I’ve had one or two nightmares about him in the time he’s been here.” He looks up “why?”

Dipper avoids his question by asking a new one “Nightmares?”

“Yeah, he is usually trying to hurt me in some away, the worst one was when I dreamed he had escaped and was stood next to my bed with a knife.” Ford chuckles but then quickly grows serious “Why have you been experience similar dreams because maybe that’s something worth me noting.”

Quickly Dipper retreats, shaking his head “No, no I just- I just well there was one …or two dreams but it was more of like I dreamed that I was sat here doing what I did every night and I think I’m just – I think I need a day off maybe. Do you think Stan could cover for me tomorrow?”

Ford is silent for a moment but then nods “I don’t see why he couldn’t, I’ll ask him about it.”

“Thanks.” Ford gives him a pat on the back before pushing the button to the elevator.

“I think he likes you you know.”

Dipper’s heart stops as he wizzes around to face him. “What?”

“He always perks up before you arrive.” He nods towards the window to the other room showing the tank. He could see Bill swimming around in a figure eight motion, he did look like he was having fun.

“Well I don’t make him do any tests when I’m around.” Dipper jokes. He didn’t really know what they got up to during the day, Ford was very secretive. None the less Ford smiles before vanishing behind the closing doors.

Dipper puts his music on and decides he wants to start the night by feeding the other again. He liked being close to him yesterday. He was aware that this was risky and perhaps something he should avoid making a habit of. He opens the hatch , Bill looked happy to see him. They have staring contest, Dipper won.

Once again he reaches out a hand holding kelp. Bill accepts, their hands don’t brush this time. It’s an understatement to say that Dipper is disappointed. He watches the other eat, he begins bopping to the music leaking from Dipper’s headphones. This scares Dipper. In a panic he hits pause, the siren freezes.

Silence.

“Sorry” Dipper blurts out hitting play again coming to his senses. Hatch was definitely too risky, will not be doing again for a while. Bill looks cautious, but begins to sway to the music again. His eyes didn’t leave Dipper’s. Dipper blinks first this time. Bill smiles at the lost. Dipper pours the fish into the tank and goes to his usual post where he plans to stay for the rest of the night.

When he falls asleep he hears Bill singing along to the song he was playing. His voice is the most beautiful sound that Dipper has very heard. It makes his heart feel floaty and his brain feel heavy. He would be perfectly happy to sleep for a million years if it meant he got to listen to this. He shouldn’t sleep for a million years, Mabel would be sad, besides the basement was flooding.

_What?_ Dipper thinks to himself he can feel his forehead tense through his dream _the basement was-_ His eyes snap open. The basement was flooding!

A small crack in the tanks center was rapidly dripping water out. Dipper stumbled to his feet his phone and headphones falling to the floor. ‘ _Shit’_. He look as around, there has to be tape or a plug or something. He then glances over at Bill to see how he is coping with this. He appears oddly relaxed for someone who’s soon to be forced back into the uncomfortable tub. Dipper didn’t have a chance to question Bill’s reaction further as the siren caught his eye and smiled at him. ‘ _Oh no_.’ Bill backed up before slamming his tail into the crack of the tank. The glass shattered and a huge wave smashed into Dipper knocking him to the ground with Bill beside him.

Dipper didn’t move, he stared and Bill stared back, and water crashed into the corners of the room causing smaller waves to bounce back at them.

Dipper blinked first when water hit his face.

“I win” the other said.

He watches the siren sit up and investigate with tail the impact of hitting the glass seeming to have injured him.

“Are you hurt?” Dipper found himself asking when really that should be the last of his concerns.

Bill was calm, in fact he looked completely unimpressed by the damaged the glass had caused him. “It will heal.” When he turns to face Dipper, their eyes meet, it sends chills down his spine.

“Should- should I be scared?” He was sure the other could kill him easily but would he? If Bill was just a mermaid Dipper felt he could just get up and walk away. Go get Ford and tell him to fix this…but Bill liked mind games.

“Maybe…” The smile Bill gave him wasn’t very comforting. “Depends how willing to cooperate you are.”

Bill’s voice was not as angelic as Dipper imagined it would be… but perhaps that was a good thing.

Looking around at the flooded basement Dipper sighs running his hands through is hair. “ What do you want me to do?” surely anything was easier then cleaning all this up. Yeah Ford would be pissed but truthfully he felt bad keeping Bill in a tank.

“Take me home, you’ll need a bucket or bath or something to transport me in but it shouldn’t be too hard to find.”

Dipper looked around the room, the cooler could probably hold Bill if he emptied it…and then he could bring water up into the car with buckets and then bring Bill last.

He vaguely explained the plan to Bill as he emptied out the cooler. He was on his way to the elevator when Bill called his name.

Dipper stopped in his tracks waiting for what the other had to say, the pause felt like it went on forever. Dipper turned slowly to see the other still sat on the floor behind him. “You have no plans of betraying me while you’re up there do you?”

“Wouldn’t dream of it.” Dipper said without thinking.

Bill hums to himself but slowly nods “Alright, continue then.”

It wasn’t until Dipper was in the elevator did he process what had just happened. As soon as Bill said his name he felt like he was waiting for a command. Everything else had gone quiet and the way he said Dipper’s name made him feel almost intoxicated. He closes his eyes replaying the sound in his brain again. _Dip-per._

The elevator harsh ding wakes Dipper from his day dream. ‘ _You can evaluate his mind games later.’_

He pushed down the back seats and slide the cooler in, it only took three trips to fill it with water from the basement. He had to move quietly as to not wake his grunkles. He meant what he said to Bill he didn’t want any trouble.

“Alright…” Dipper sighed looking down at the other. “May I uh…” he felt a bit weird about touching the others tail but logically he should carry him kind of bridal style to get him upstairs. This is exactly what he ended up doing. Bill wasn’t too heavy which was good as Dipper wouldn’t consider himself very strong. The other seemed weaker than usual. He clung lazily to Dipper. His head dropping like it did in the early days when he lived in their bathtub.

Dipper looked down at the other resting his head on his chest. He wondered if the creature could hear that his heart ready to explode out of his chest.

Dipper had never hated how slow the elevator was more in his life. Holding Bill felt too close, too risky. He nearly jumped out of his skin when Bill’s hand started to slowly twist the curls on the back of Dipper’s head. But once again he shut his eyes, reaching an almost dream like sate before the elevator awoke him with a buzz and Bill’s hand dropped.

Bill looked a bit better in the water tub in the car. Not as great as he was but soon to be his best again.

Dipper didn’t know what to say to the other in the car ride. He had so many questions but didn’t know where to start. When the ride felt uncomfortably silent Dipper made the mistake of turning on the radio. As Bill starts to sing along, Dipper feels is body instantly relax. He didn’t think much of it at first just that the other had a beautiful voice. As the song continued his eyes began to drop and it was harder and harder to grasp the wheel-

“Ah” he cried bolting up and turning off the music “Don’t do that!”

Bill laughed in the back and that was their only interaction for the whole car ride.

When they got there the sun was starting to rise, painting the sky to similar colours as Dipper’s dream. He carried Bill to the dock sitting him down. The siren instantly slides himself into the water taking a long dunk before resurfacing. Dipper takes off his shoes and dangles his feet into the water.

Bill’s eyes meet his. He wondered if Bill found Dipper’s eyes as interesting as he found Bill’s. He wondered if humans were a fascinating species to the other or just a toy, or a snack. He wondered if the other would forget Dipper tomorrow or continue to think back on the summer for the rest of his life.

Bill blinked first and Dipper couldn’t muster a laugh, just a sad smile. He didn’t want to celebrate his victory.

“I guess this is goodbye?” Bill said swimming closer to the dock.

“Yeah,” Dipper sighed “do you think I’ll ever see you again?”

“Maybe in you dreams.” Bill said with a smirk.

This time Dipper did chuckle. “Was that you?”

The siren shrugged “Only partly, sometimes I’d just show up and see what you would come up with.”

“Ah. I see.” Dipper starts to try and piece together what dreams he thought were fully authentically his.

“I liked what you’d come up with.” The other chimed in. Dipper stared down at the siren and his pretty pretty eyes and his flowing golden hair and his glistening skin. He thought he would be more embarrassed finding out Bill really was in his dreams, but he thinks part of him already knew.

“Kiss me?” Dipper asked.

Bill bit his lip “I don’t know if I should, this isn’t a dream, you’d never forget me if I really kissed you.”

Dipper leans forward resting his arms on his knees. He’s only a few inches away from the other. “What if I don’t want to?”

“Don’t want to?”

“Forget you.”

He watches Bill’s eyes calculating. Dipper wonders if maybe he was really the one testing Bill and not the other way around. Perhaps for both parties the feelings felt dangerous and enticing.

Dipper didn’t know what he would do if Bill didn’t accept but lucky for him he didn’t have to imagine for long as Bill’s lips met his. Like in the first dream the kiss was soft gentle; this time Bill did cling onto Dipper’s hair probably to help hold him up as he pushed himself out of the water.

When the parted Bill chuckled “I’m tempted to ask you to come with me.”

“And I would be very tempted to go.”

A sigh “but I like you too much to ask you to go.”

“I know.”

To which Bill smiled, his kind warm smile, not his sharp one. The slowly the siren began to back away. Neither of them blinked and their final game was ruled a draw as Bill sunk into the ocean and never remerged.

Dipper didn’t know how long he sat there for. He watched the gentle water move and the sky turn from pink to blue and then eventually he put on his shoes and began his drive home.

Naturally Ford was furious. He came rushing out with wet documents in his hands. At first he barked what Dipper would expect “Where is he? How did he escape? Everything is ruined!” and then when Dipper got out the car he was startled to be embraced in a big hug where Ford quietly said “I thought you were gone.”

Dipper gave a sluggish smile. “Not gone, just tired, can I explain after I’ve slept for a bit?”  
  


Ford agreed a rest and then chat later would be for the best, maybe he could tell something else was bothering Dipper and wanted to give him some time.

When he got to his room he put on some music and closed his eyes. He imagined Bill signing along. He dreamed he was on a boat. The water was calm, a beautiful day. Somewhere in the water Bill was singing away. Dipper found himself singing along too. The song got louder and louder and he heard a soft splash. He turned to see the other resting his head on the side of his boat.

“Long time no see.” Bill joked “Did you miss me?”

**Author's Note:**

> Ahh I hope you enjoyed.! I don’t know if this fandom is even active anymore? But if you read this big thank you! <3 Apparently I wrote the original version of this in May? of last year? and when cleaning files on my computer this draft caught my eye so I thought I would, well finish it. It felt really good to be writing again, I've missed this. 
> 
> Once again I couldn't think of a title so just stole one from a song. The song has nothing to do with the story but is good so I recommend aha.
> 
> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR READING!!! ≧◡≦


End file.
